Chapter Thirty-Five:

Time Changes, Not You

1746

"Are the recruits nearly finished their assignments?" I asked Diana.

"Only James," she replied, shaking her head. "The others are taking their sweet, sweet time."

I sighed. With everything that'd happened over the past few weeks, my head was starting to pound with a vile headache.

"I can't deal with this right now," I told her. "I think I'll get some rest."

"God knows you need it," Diana said. "Ever since I've known you, you've been a workaholic."

"Thanks," I said, frowning. "Take over for me, will you?"

"Sure thing." Diana suddenly smiled as I left. "Don't be too rough on him."

I turned back, the confusion apparent on my face. "Huh?"

Diana laughed. "The man who is giving you that headache!"

I turned red almost immediately. It pissed me off that I wasn't in total control of my emotions anymore. You'd think that after a few hundred years, you'd get the hang of it…

"I don't know what you're talking about…" I muttered grumpily without looking at her.

"Whatever helps you sleep at night, my friend," Diana said, smirking.

I left then, mentally picturing tripping Diana to leave for the guards if we were ever being chased. By the time I got back to Hugh Manor, it was nightfall, and the entire Hugh family was already seated at the table to eat.

I joined them. "Sorry I'm late," I apologized. "Work was messy."

I saw James just barely smirk. Now, the fact that James is practically emotionless contradicted with that smirk. I was so surprised I was staring at him, but quickly broke off when his tiny smirk turned back into his constant "displeased" expression.

"It was a busy day in London, so I can imagine," Jeanine said. "You are forgiven."

Like I needed you to accept my apology, I thought, frowning.

Catherine grinned. "Guess what, Sara? Henry told me that he's coming over tomorrow!"

I rubbed my head. "So, what time? I need to know when I need to hang myself."

"Please don't do it in that room. I want to keep it 'suicide-free'," Jeanine said. "If you're going to kill yourself, please do it where you won't make a mess."

"Is it weird that your mother is telling me that I need to kill myself somewhere private?" I asked all three of her children.

Walter laughed. "You could kill yourself in my room, if you'd like."

"Pervert."

James cleared his throat. "On that happy note, I'd like to inform you all that Lily is coming as well. She'll be distraught if Sara should kill herself upon being informed that she was coming." He took a quick sip of his tea. "I would not be able to bed her properly."

I stared at James, my mouth wide open and my eyes probably the size of the Apple of Eden. "W-What did you say?"

James took another sip of his tea, and in his uninterested monotone, said, "It was a joke."

"Then smile and laugh after it! You make it sound so damn real!" I exclaimed, my hands waving about furiously.

Walter grabbed my wrist and smiled. "Calm down, Sara! He does this sort of thing if he's excited."

"He's excited?"

Walter smiled sheepishly. "If you've lived with him for a few years, you'd get it."

I sighed in defeat. "Fine. It's not like it's a big deal, anyway."

He released my wrist and patted my head. "It's so much easier to calm you down now!"

I don't think I registered in my head that I was holding the knife on the table, but Walter noticed both that and my glare. That was enough to shut him up.

After we ate, I went into my room and stared out the window, leaning against the windowsill casually. I was in my undershirt, the only shirt I had that was sleeveless and worn underneath my robes, and my loose trousers, but I'd taken off my boots, as my feet started hurting earlier in the day.

Walter, as usual, came into my room without knocking and stared out the window with me, mimicking my position.

"The world seems to change quickly," he said quietly. "Look—do you see that? The birds are already heading south. Winter's coming."

"It changes far quicker than that," I told him, sighing. "It used to be that people fought with honour. We used to fight face-to-face. Now we have these guns, and you kill your enemies without looking into their eyes. It seems so… barbaric. And the cities have grown, both in culture and in people. Soon, it will not take a few days to reach another place, but a few hours."

"I can't imagine that happening for a while yet," Walter remarked. "I prefer to live in the moment."

"It depends on how many moments you have left."

Walter wrapped his arms around my waist and sat on the windowsill. "Then I will make the best of this moment, Sara Taylor."

"I think you've been planning this," I said. "Well-played."

"What can I say? I'm notorious for my way of thinking."

"And yet I wonder if you can think at all."

"Ah, but Miss Taylor, you wound me with your cruel, cruel words." He grinned and lightly kissed me. "I must take offence to that."

"And again with that line."

Walter smiled. "Then I'll think of another one. One that makes you blush so violently that I'll have to check if your heart beats still."

"No fair. I blush easily."

"Only when I make you feel awkward." Walter pulled me closer. "Strangely enough, you seem comfortable here."

"I think I'm getting used to how you move."

Walter arched an eyebrow. "Oh, really?" He pulled me towards the bed, and then sat on it, putting his body in the corner of the wall while sitting on it, then he invited me to join him.

"I have weapons, you know," I said.

"I know." I rolled my eyes and laid my head on his shoulder. "I think I was right," he said.

"Right about what?" I asked.

"I told myself I'd wait for the right girl, and I'd know her when I saw her. I didn't want to rush into relationships like many people." He sighed. "I think I was right to wait. I'm not happy with how long I've waited, but I'm relived that I've finally found the one."

My hands had somehow found Walter's. "I've spent my life fighting. I'm not sure if I could settle down. I've pictured every kind of death I could have, and dying as an old woman in a rocking chair has never really come to mind."

"If I were immortal, I'd stay with you forever."

That left a lump in my throat. "Don't wish for something as horrible as that. You should live life as it was meant to be."

"Are you saying that, if you were immortal, you'd leave me?"

"No!"

Walter pressed his lips against mine again and smiled. "Then what are you saying?"

"You made me lose my thoughts, sir." My eyes closed. "I just… It's like wishing to walk on water. You would only see the sky, when you could see so many amazing things under the water."

"I think I get it." Walter wrapped an arm around my shoulder and lightly kissed the scar on my shoulder. "I can tell you're tired. Get some sleep. You've worked too hard."

"I can never work hard enough," I told him, smiling. "But… I may just… rest my eyes for a moment…"

Before I knew it, I was asleep on Walter's shoulder. I had a nightmare-free night, and the only thing that I could think about was, God, I hope I'm not drooling on him.

The next morning, I felt a heavy weight on my head, and realized that Walter's head was on top of mine. My eyes were adjusting to the sunlight streaming through the window when I heard the frantic cries of, "Walter!" throughout the manor.

I shook him awake. "Walter!"

His eyes fluttered open, and he smiled. "Good morning. Have a nice sleep? I have to say, your head is rather heavy when you sleep. I can't feel my shoulder."

I flicked him in the forehead. "Everyone's looking for you!"

Walter's eyes shot open. "Damn! I'll just climb out you window and act like I've been on a walk!" He smiled devilishly. "You should come with me."

I rolled my eyes and shoved him out the window, then followed him out. We pretended that we were engaged in an incredible conversation as we rounded the manor and entered through the front doors.

Meredith met us there. "There you are! Walter, did you wake Miss Taylor at such an ungodly hour?"

I shook my head. "I was already awake, so Walter and I went for a walk."

Meredith studied me, but I was sure it was my wardrobe that her eyes were focusing on. Before I could even move, Meredith scooped me up and tossed me over her shoulder.

"Lady Jeanine has asked that I make you into a proper lady!" Meredith said as she carried me up the stairs.

Walter was laughing hysterically at the look on my face. "W-What? No!"

"Sorry, but I must listen to my Lady."

"I'm not a ragdoll! Please put me down!"

Meredith laughed. "You will run away!"

"And I have no doubt that you will catch me."

Meredith dumped me into the chair at my writing desk and shut the door. "Good that you know that. A little fear will put anyone in their place!"

I could have sworn I saw a creepy black aura around the old maid. "Meredith… you scare me sometimes."